THE VALUE OF THE LOCAL CONGREGATION

INTRODUCTION:
1. Christ's church is spoken of in the universal sense referring to it in general every where it meets, in the local sense of each congregation thereof in different localities, and of the local church meeting to worship.

2. In the majority of the 110 references to the church it is used of local congregations and their work in the communities.

DISCUSSION
I. In Jerusalem when people were saved they were added to the local church. Acts 2:47.
There is no such thing as being saved and not being in a local church. One can change local churches but to do the work of a Christian they have to do it through a local church. One cannot be forever a visitor and still be a doer of the work. (James 1 :25). This is because the only manifestation of the church is the local congregation. When it is said the Jerusalem church was of one heart and one soul that referred to the unity of that local church. When they were scattered abroad we read of churches of Judea, Galilee, and Samaria (Acts 9:31). Wherever those people went preaching the word they established local congregations of the church.

II. When Jerusalem heard that the Greeks at Antioch of Syria had believed and turned to the Lord They sent Barnabas to strengthen them Acts 11:22.

A. He exhorted them that with purpose of heart they would cleave to the Lord. As he continued as their gospel preacher "many people were added to the Lord". Acts 11:23, 24.

B. He went to Tarsus, found Saul and brought him to Antioch for "a whole year assembled with the church, and taught much people." (Acts 11:26). This was the church where the disciples were first called Christians.

III. The Church at Antioch also sent out Saul and Barnabas to be Missionaries to the Gentiles in other areas Acts 13:1-3.

A. The local church at Antioch grew to have many prophets and teachers (Acts 13:1). This is when the Holy Spirit told them to separate Paul and Barnabas from them to send them to the work God had for them to do (Acts 13:2,3)

B. This church sent them away to the Gentiles (vs. 3). So the Local church is God's missionary society to send people to help needy churches and to preach the gospel where it has not been preached.

IV. The churches established in Asia Minor as a result of gospel preaching were local churches Acts 13, 14.

A. Paul and Barnabas went to each one "confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord on whom they believed." (Acts 14:22,23).

B. When Paul wrote the Galatian letter he wrote to "'the churches of Galatia". They were being guided by Apostolic authority. 2 Corinthians13:10 speaks of the power that was given to Paul for edification.

V. The local church at Troas is an example of including the Lord's Supper in Worship and that on the first day of the week. Acts 20:7. Worship and the local church goes together.

VI. The church at Ephesus gives us the example of the work of the elders of the church. Acts 20:28.

A. That congregation is the flock they were overseeing, and feeding. It is called a church of God - and in the RV version, Church of the Lord.

B. Timothy is an example of a full time evangelist working with the Ephesian church. It was his job to teach the qualifications of elders, and he and Titus both to ordain elders, instruct and warn against apostasy, preach the word, give attendance to reading, exhortation, and doctrine.

C. For him to behave himself in the church of the Living God, which means the church at Ephesus, he had to teach the truth and live it.

VII. The church of God at Corinth is instructed much in the Corinthian letters about unity, inspiration of the New Testament, which was Apostolic authority, worship, Lord's Supper, giving, and moral living.

VIII. The Colossian church was informed that Christ is the head of the church, the church is His body, and we are complete in him. (Colossians 1:18; 2:10)

IX. The Church is a Candlestick, Revelation 1:20.

A. A candlestick supports light.Christ is the light of the world (John 8: 12). Therefore the local church supports Jesus Christ.

B. If the local church does not do its duty, the Lord will remove the candlestick (Revelation 2:5).

C. Without the local church Christ would not be held up to the world.

X. The local church is a golden candlestick Revelation 2:1;1;20. It is not a wooden, iron, or brass candlestick, but a golden candlestick. The Lord puts value on the local church.

XI. The Local church has the Lord Jesus Christ walking in its midst. Revelation 2:1. He is walking in our midst regardless of our faults and failures. Some people want to get out ofthe church because of its faults but Jesus remains in it. He places a lot of value on it.

XII. The local church is divinely appointed to support the truth. I Timothy 3:15. Since the church is to support the truth, it must mean that the local church is to do this; for there is no legislative or executive power by which the universal church may act. Ephesians 3:10. Since the work of the church is supporting the truth, then that is the job of the local congregation. This if very valuable. God has no other means of supporting the truth.

XIII The local church is appointed to do benevolent work.

A. The churches of Galatia and Corinth are ordered to take up collections for the poor saints in Jerusalem I Corinthians 16:1-3.

B. The church in Antioch of Syria also did this Acts 11 :27-30.

XIV. The only oversight of the Lord's Work God has appointed is the oversight of elders in the local church. Acts 20:28; I Peter 5:2,3.

A. There are no district or universal bishops.

B. The members of the local church are to obey its overseers. (Hebrews13:17.)

XV. Jesus recognized the value of the local church by commanding that personal differences if they cannot be settled otherwise be taken before the church. Matthew 18:15-17. This has to be the local church because no one could take the matter to the universal church, and neither could one hear the universal church.

XVI. The local church at Cenchrea was so important that Paul commended a member of it to the church in Rome Romans 16:1,2.

XVII. Paul Assayed to join himself to join himself to the disciples in Jerusalem. Acts 9:26. While there he wanted to work under the oversight of the elders of the Jerusalem church. It took Barnabas to persuade them that he was sincere. If you have not done so you need to be like Paul and join the local church as a saved person and enter into the work as God has ordained it.